The Sidelines
by RubyFiamma
Summary: [AoKaga] Aomine gets a taste of what it feels like to be an adrenaline junkie and chases the high from the safety of the sidelines.


**Pairing : **Aomine Daiki x Kagami Taiga / AoKaga [Kuroko no Basuke]

**Rating :** M

**Warnings : **None

**Disclaimer : **I don't own any of the characters or plot lines of Kuroko no Basuke. If I was that good at drawing, I'd be making doujinshi instead of fanfiction xD

All rights go to Tadatoshi Fujimaki

* * *

_**The Sidelines**_

* * *

Everyone thinks because you're stubborn that must make you dense. Everyone thinks because you're so self centered that all you see is you. Perhaps that were true in the later years of your Teikou run, perhaps that were true until you met _him._

You're curious about that enigmatic red head that has managed to surpass Kise and Midorima. You're intrigued of Tetsu's new _light_. When you find him out on the court that day, it isn't just coincidence. You _need _to know what this guy is all about. So you offer up a game of one-on-one. This guy isn't anything special, after all, the only one who can beat me is _m_e; that's what you're thinking when you steal the ball too easily away from him, leave him awestruck and dumbfounded on the beat out court.

_Your light is too dim, _you tell him because truthfully, it is. There's not enough _passion _there for him to be serious about the game. He isn't right man for Tetsu's skill. So what if he beat Kise and Midorima, the next person he faces is you and you know that's where it's going to end.

The only person that can beat you is you.

The Touou match was a joke. You were right. He's not worthy enough to be an opponent you'll recognize. Not even the Generation of Miracles is enough to rekindle your dwindling love for basketball. It's just too easy, too repetitive and frankly, just too bothersome.

But there's something there, some kind of spark, something in your _intuition _when you look at him. He's got potential and you'll never say it out loud but you'll recognize his skill. You can see the drive behind those crimson eyes, that challenge and determination when he looks at you. He's already marked you as his rival, he's already decided you're the one he needs to surpass.

You know that he's been practicing, you hear from Satsuki that even Tetsu's come up with a new move. You're impressed but you know it isn't going to change anything. You are who you are and _no on_e can beat you. That's just how it is.

The Winter Cup comes and this is the first time you've been excited for a match in a long time. You're more or less only interested in Tetsu and how he's become _stronger _but when you look across the court and see his face, you feel a tingling thrill shoot through your veins. He still has that look and the narcissistic side of you is almost flattered but it doesn't mean a damn thing. You'll crush him and his spirit, just like every other opponent you've had.

And when you get the chance, you do that to Tetsu. You don't really mean to but the arrogance you harbour eats at you like a black plague and all you can think of doing is _breaking __him. _He's no match, number 10 is no match, Seirin is no match for you. You hate it, it makes you sick. This sport has become boring and tedious. You can't stand it.

Something happens later in the game that blows you away. Seirin's ace is actually keeping up with you and Seirin is holding their own against Touou... Against _you. _The only thing left now is to step it up. It's been a long time since you've have to go all out but this is where the fun is. This is where you get back that spirit. _Winning _is what matters.

But when you're speeding up the court and the ball is suddenly no longer within your grip and you turn around and see that face, your heart actually skips a beat. You think, it probably skipped two because the first one was given to surprise but the second was given to an epiphany. Like time had stood still and in crystal clarity, you saw Kagami Taiga for the first time.

And in an instant you can feel the fire, like the blood in your veins is the kerosene and Kagami is the match that ignites the spark because suddenly it catches and roars through your body like an uncontrollable wildfire. You haven't felt this sort of adrenaline in a long time. It's a highly addictive _rush._

_I take back what I said, Kagami... You're the best!_

Youre not really sure if you meant it truthfully or mockingly but it's a thin line between the two. You're amazed, excited, _enthralled _that he can keep up in the Zone, that he's near your _equal _in so many more ways than you thought.

And then you lose... You lose for the first time and it's bitter but not enough for you to not swallow down, because of who's there, wearing a smug smile on his face telling you its not the end of the world, that he'd play you anytime. It's _him_. It's Kagami.

It's then you realize there's something else there but you're not sure what and even though Satsuki has to drag you to the remaining games, you secretly want to go. You watch from the sidelines and you realize that Kagami has a magnetic pull so strong that he's completely dragged you into his orbit.

You find that not only have you started going to his matches but you're attending his practices when you've got the spare time and you just _happen_ to catch the games where he's playing street ball. You tell everyone, even yourself that you're keeping an eye on Tetsu or that you're keeping tabs on your rival's moves. You've even gone so far as to drag Satsuki along with you as an excuse(which has never been difficult, after all she's got an unhealthy obsession with Tetsu... but then again, your obsession with the red head is probably just as unhealthy). You're always surveying his every move. He's like you, with slight differences, and maybe it's your narcissism at play again - the arrogance you can't seem to shake even though your first loss has made you just the smallest bit humble - but you've somehow become _attracted _to Kagami.

He comes to your games, he watches you too. He's usually with Seirin but the odd occasion, he's there with Kuroko. You know he's watching you because you can feel his eyes on you, and only you. You like that though, it feeds your ever growing ego and just knowing that he's there watching you, somehow makes you want to be better. Play better. For _him. _

You can find all the excuses in the world that convince you otherwise, you can stare at gravure magazines and photos of Mai-chan all you want, but you can't fool yourself because you're not that stupid. Looking at them doesn't make your heart race with excitement, doesn't make your dick twitch in response the way it does when he's looking at you with that fire in his eyes. Looking at _him_ makes a heat bubble so intensely in your gut that sometimes you feel like you're about to burst. The big tits on those models are nothing in comparison to the ribs of muscle that flex fluidly with every move that he makes, the centerfolds and pinups are just... boring when you have the real thing in front of you. Skirt chasing isn't even appealing when you can chase the adrenaline that courses through your veins like the first hit of heroin that gets you addicted. You've found the one thing you're interested in... The one thing that makes you _happy_.

The more and more you try to separate feelings for Kagami and just your love for the game, the harder it gets to focus on anything else. The lines between basketball and Kagami have blurred and you can't tell which excites you more. You can't decide what you _want _more - the feel of that orange, studded ball or his two toned hair underneath your fingertips. Your dick tells you it's the latter.

Your eyes aren't as keen as Akashi's and you lack the intense focus to observe like Kise, but you watch from the sidelines and find that he's looking at you a little differently too. You're too lazy to put much thought into things which is why people think that you're stupid, but you are definitely perceptive enough to catch the way he looks at you. You're so similar, that you know it's the same way you look at him.

And all that leads you to this moment, the moment in which you and him are face to face with your chests heaving and sweat running down your temples. The intense way you're looking at him, reading his next move and he's doing the same and lately, these one-on-one games with Kagami are difficult to predict. He's got one up on you and you only need to make the two points to win but as you switch to pivot, his lightning fast reflexes allow him to lash out an arm in an attempt to knock the ball from your hand. As his hand brushes yours, the searing heat and cold tingle you get from the skin on skin contact forces you to draw your hand back too sharply and before you can blink, he's off with with ball, up the court and then he's hanging off the rim.

"Game set," he says with a smirk, landing on his feet with a cat-like grace.

You turn to him, dumbfounded. That's the first time he's been able to break your concentration, and what's worse is that all he had to do was touch you.

The ball rolls to your feet and you bend down to grab it and when you look up, he's standing right in front of you, blocking out the glaring sun.

"What's the matter, _Ahomine_? Finally ready to admit that I'm the better ballplayer?" he taunts with a sly grin.

You stand to your full height and you're just a little taller than he is so he kind of has to look up at you, which is exactly what you like. _Look at me, Kagami. Look only at me._

Snorting, you reply, "When you're able to beat me without winning by a hair, then you can say you're at my level. You're a hundred years too early for that, _Bakagami._"

"Haha, I'll get there. Just you watch, asshole." There's not a drop of animosity in his tone.

The sun catches his crimson eyes when he moves his head and the fact that they look like smoldering rubies nearly takes your breath away. It isn't fair, this isn't fair. You have to wonder that if you take the dive that it'll change things. You'll have to wonder that he doesn't actually feel the same way you do, you're just conceited and that's what you're seeing. You have to wonder, what will the future be if you say something now? What will it be if you _don't _say something now? You don't want anything to change right now but you do all at the same time. You'll later blame it on the possibility of sun stroke induced delirium, but you blurt out,

"Kagami, we need to talk." That's it, you've gone and done it now.

He raises one of those unique eyebrows at you suspiciously. "Oh? What's this about? Don't tell me you're gonna quit playing one-on-one because you're afraid of a losing streak."

"Che. Quit it with the horrible jokes, I'll never lose to you -"

"Like how you never lost me to me right now?" he says with a smirk.

You itch to wipe that smirk of his face via your mouth but you contain yourself. Your manly pride keeps you from clamping up and leaving it at that. You aren't really a quitter, you shouldn't start now. But really, how far are you actually going to take this. You aren't actually going to tell him anything, are you?

"Just shut up for a second and listen to me, stupid."

Kagami rolls his eyes at you, but he shuts up. Maybe you will tell him after all.

"Listen... I think you like me... and you should just hurry up and get it out in the open so we can move the fuck on already." It comes out in a fast slur and it's just so typical of you to throw all the blame on someone else.

Kagami chokes on a breath, startled and struck, his cheeks near the same colour of his hair. "Wha...What the fuck did you just say?"

You start to idly spin the ball on the tip of your finger, and you narrow your eyes just to show your seriousness. "I said that you like me, and that you should just confess already so it can stop being so awkward."

Kagami's eyebrows pinch together and he scowls at you hard. "Where in the hell would you get that idea?"

"Please," you scoff. "I see the way you look at me. I know you come to watch my games -"

"I watch them with the team! _Y__ou're _the one who's always at my games! I know you're not there because of Kuroko, because you still come when he's not there. Like... to my street games!" Kagami is completely taken aback but he's not angry, just shocked. You can't deny that you like the look of him like this. Bashful and flustered and red in the face. It gets you almost as excited as you get when you see the challenge in his eyes on the court.

You shrug nonchalantly. You're a man, you should just own up to it already. "Yeah, so?" Okay, so you're not quite ready to put an end to the blustering Kagami. It's really amusing and actually... kind of cute.

Heh... you don't really mean that.

Kagami stares hard at you for a moment and you try to gauge his reaction. He hasn't agreed but he hasn't denied it and you're not sure what he's thinking. Probably that you've lost your mind. You think you might have to.

"I think that _you _like _me_ and that's why you're always on the sidelines, watching me. Don't think I haven't noticed," he finally says.

"Oh?" you muse. "Was it you who really noticed?"

Kagami averts his eyes and bites down on his lip and it near - god dammit - gives you a heart attack. Who the fuck would think that the great Teikou and Touou ace, Aomine Daiki would go from liking chicks to dick in a matter of a couple of years. You're not even sure if that's the case because no other man, no _one_ else holds a torch to Kagami. He's the only one you look at that way, the only one that can give you that rush you so desperately crave.

A flitting thought crosses your mind then.

_If he can get fired up like that on the court and that's how I react... how would it be if we actually fucked?_

It kind of scares you, not to mention, embarrasses you to even _think _about fucking another man. A woman, no problem but the same sex is a completely different story.

Whatever, stop getting ahead of yourself and just focus on the now.

"No... it was Kuroko."

Of course it was, Tetsu has this creepy fucking way of being so damned perceptive and precognitive that it almost puts Akashi's skills to shame.

You remain silent because you don't know what else to say. It was a stupid thing to begin with, you should have just kept your mouth shut. But if you stop now, you both can pretend like it never happened and go back to being rivals instead of whatever it was you were thinking you'd get out of this.

You pop the ball off your wrist in his direction and don't bother to wait to see if he catches it before you turn to grab your bag off the sideline. You think about whistling some off beat tune to distract you from the heat you feel where Kagami is boring a hole right through your back with those molten eyes of his.

"Y-You're leaving already?"

You think about turning but you don't want to look at the face that goes along with that near trembling voice. "Game's over. I'll see ya around, Bakagami. I think I hear Mai-chan calling my name."

"So what," Kagami calls out to you. "You're too pussy to tell me that you like me to?"

You stop dead in your tracks. It wasn't that you were a pussy, you weren't chickening out, shit... You just figured that it'd be best not to change things between the two of you. Not to fuck shit up. You weren't even sure what the hell you wanted anyways. You hadn't really given it much thought until now, but being in any kind of relationship with Kagami would prove to be difficult both on and off the court.

You turn around to finally face him but you're not quite sure of what to say. It's a defining moment, this one. The words you chose could make or break you. But he's challenged you now, so you have to say something and you can lie and shrug it off all you want but you're pretty sure he'll see right through you.

You drop your bag back down on the pavement and head over to where Kagami stands, just as the sun begins to fall behind one of the taller buildings in the district. He watches you, searches your face for some sort of answer, a quizzical look when he can't seem to find one in the stoic facade you manage.

You stand inches away from him now but never take your eyes off him and reach to take the ball from his hands. There's that skin to skin contact again, hot and cold; tingles and shivers; makes your mind race, your heart hammer and your stomach flutter. Gives you all the adrenaline you'd get out of playing one game with him, full on in the Zone - just from that one touch.

You lean in close, so close that your breath falls on his lips when you speak, causes him to startle and flush a shade of vermilion you'll never forget. The proximity of your bodies is dangerous, the distance between your mouths is worse. You only hope he can't hear the way your heart is pounding, like how you can hear that his is beating in tandem. You so badly want to close the minute gap between your mouths and give him the answer he wants. But... you wouldn't be Aomine Daiki, the biggest asshole on earth (or so Kise tells you) if you didn't make it difficult for him. If you didn't make him _work _for it.

"I'll tell you what," you say with a sharp breath and challenging grin. "Beat me at this next game and I'll give you my answer."

But, Kagami thinks like you - most of the time. He's thinking exactly the same thing when he grabs the hair at the nape of your neck and drags you down into feverish kiss that's got more teeth than it should, but you aren't complaining when he pushes his way past your lips with his tongue, runs it over your teeth and along the roof of your mouth. You aren't surprised that even the way he kisses, he seems to be challenging you. He coaxes you roughly to respond, he _demands _it and you drop the ball and pull him close, lining your body against his. You don't pay heed to the fact that it's still daylight and you're out in the open for everyone to see. It doesn't matter because kissing Kagami is fucking amazing, it's an adrenaline rush all on it's own. You could chase this high all day and all night, he's dangerously addictive. With his tongue rolling over yours; his hands roaming every inch of your body; the only thing you can think about is _him._ You can't even hear the sounds of the street around you, you can't see the sky, you can't see the court. This rough, teeth clashing, lip biting, body groping kiss has made you enter a new kind of Zone, one that definitely has you reeling.

Essentially, the game doesn't get played. It's no big deal because Kagami got his answer anyways and you think that you've got a different one-on-one game in mind.

* * *

_**-Fin**_


End file.
